Resources for Teachers | Trevecca Nazarene University

PowerPoint Do’s and Don’ts for Teachers

Written by Trevecca Nazarene University | Dec 15, 2020 3:54:48 PM

The holidays are probably a little less hectic around your house this year, since parties, concerts, recitals and other large-gathering festivities have been canceled.

It’s a great time to take inventory of your lesson planning and the tools you use to make sure your teaching is as effective as possible. 

No doubt you’re familiar with PowerPoint already. But are you using it to its maximum potential? Do you know best practices for the tool and the common mistakes to avoid? 

We’ve created a handy list of do’s and don’ts when using PowerPoint.  

 

DO

DON’T

Use a large font size, at least 36 points.

Use “fancy” fonts that are hard to read.

Use bullets to list information.

Use multiple fonts throughout the presentation.

Let slides be your outline.

Write in complete sentences or use paragraphs.

Make it visually appealing.

Use more than six lines of information on one slide.

Keep transitions consistent.

Use more than six words per line.

Limit color choices to two to three main colors and complementary shades of those. 

Incorporate animated graphics unless pivotal to text. 

Maintain high contrast between text color and background color (i.e., light text on dark background or dark text on light background).

 

Use high quality graphics (so pictures will not be blurry) to help convey your message.

 

Keep it simple! 

 

 

We hope these tips are helpful reminders when you’re creating lessons using PowerPoint. 

As you take a much-needed break this holiday from your daily teaching duties, you may also want to reflect on your first semester of the school year: 

  • What lessons worked well? 
  • Which lessons need improvement? 
  • Which tools help you teach more effectively? 
  • Which tools do you need help navigating? 
  • What’s next in your teaching career, both short- and long-term? 

Perhaps it’s time to realize your professional goal of earning your doctorate or master’s degree, or maybe you’re ready to add a licensure so you’re eligible for a supervisory position in your school or district. 

Whatever you see in your future, Trevecca is here to help make it happen. Get started with the first step in your journey in January 2021 when new graduate programs begin. 

An enrollment counselor will walk with you from application to graduation. Just click the link to be connected now.